ABC News Photo Illustration / Alex Gilbeaux
What started as a rocky presidential campaign launch marred with technical issues ended with a massive roll-in of cash for the first 24 hours of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign.
DeSantis raised $8.2 million in his first 24 hours as a presidential candidate, according to sources familiar with the fundraising. The governor's spokesman, Bryan Griffin, later confirmed the figure to ABC News.
DeSantis' campaign team aimed to raise $8-10 million in donations during the first 24 hours of the campaign, two sources confirmed to ABC News.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during the Florida Family Policy Council Annual Dinner Gala, in Orlando, Fla., May 20, 2023.Marco Bello/Reuters, FILE
The amount DeSantis raised surpassed the $6.3 million President Joe Biden raised in the first 24 hours of his presidential launch in 2019.
The governor had summoned donors and fundraisers to the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, Florida, for a two-day event that started on the same day as his campaign launch for president, which included dropping a campaign video announcing his run ahead of DeSantis taking to Twitter Spaces to discuss his run with Twitter CEO and billionaire Elon Musk. The rocky Twitter Spaces rollout did not deter from the excitement and support donors inside the Miami event had for DeSantis' campaign, with attendees describing the event as "filled with a ton of energy."
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Although the governor and his wife, Casey DeSantis, did not attend the first day of the donor event, the pair appeared on the second day, arriving sometime around noon, according to a source familiar with the governor's arrival. People who were in attendance said that they thought that the governor was "personable" and "fun."
Sources who attended the fundraising event told ABC News that the governor and his wife were meeting with donors and jumping on calls to raise money for the campaign.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Feb. 24, 2022, in Orlando, Fla.John Raoux/AP, FILE
Even with the large sum of money raised within the first 24 hours of DeSantis' campaign, other organizations plan to support the governor's 2024 run.
The pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down will use $100 million of its $200 million budget on voter outreach and field operations to support DeSantis' presidential run financially.
The strong fundraising haul may be a boon to the campaign after its Wednesday launch, which was plagued by technical issues to the point that a link to a new Twitter Space needed to be created.
DeSantis' next campaign-related event will be next week in Iowa where he'll hold his campaign kick off.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
